- Purpose:Ornamental/Pet
- Eggs:Cream
- Egg Size:Small
- Color:2,500 plus
- Comb Type:Single
Every animal has its superlatives: the biggest, the strongest, the rarest, and so on.
In the chicken world, the Serama holds the title of the absolute smallest … and maybe one of the most expensive, too.
This bittiest of birds is a relative newcomer to the poultry scene, having only been officially recognized for 50 years and only present in the U.S. since 2000.
After a close brush with extinction in 2004 due to a bird flu outbreak in its native Malaysia, this high-stepping breed has surged back on the scene and is ready to win your heart with the mere sight of its proudly puffed chest.
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A “Living Work Of Art”
You need to see a Serama to believe it. These true bantams are not just normal chickens in extreme miniature. They take a shape truly their own. Often compared to toy soldiers, the proportions of the chicken are unique:
- A puffed-out, heart-shaped breast that almost seems to rise above the level of the head.
- Straight-down pointing wings.
- A short back and legs so their single-combed head sometimes brushes the tail feathers.
For all the world, they look like they are standing to attention, waiting for inspection.
Due to their small size, Serama are very economical on feed and consume far less every month than standard-sized chickens. They also seem to thrive on human contact, making them excellent as a pet chicken — maybe even as a therapy animal!
They have never been bred for food production or fighting which makes their aesthetic existence somewhat poetic. And artistic they are, with more than 2,500 documented colors possible! As an extra bonus to the prospective pet owner, they are supposedly quieter than other bantam breeds and quite affectionate.
A Bird Full Of Unknowns
If you’re looking to add a Serama to your flock on a whim, you’re in for a surprise. For all their positive attributes, one huge setback to this breed is its price. Whereas more common barnyard birds like a Rhode Island Red may only be $2 a chick and $10 an adult, most Serama seem to run over $100 apiece.
Granted, these prices are usually show-quality strains. If you are just wanting to add some minute flair to your flock, you might be able to find Serama chicks on your local Craigslist for a much more reasonable $20.
Serama do not breed true to size. The clutch reared by a tiny momma bird may result in a brood that grows to be bigger than her! The breed is continually being developed, so you may not know what you’ll get when breeding your own birds.
只要记住,塞拉玛从它的日本矮脚鸡祖先那里继承了一个致命的特征。大约25%的孵化蛋无法孵化,因为小鸡的腿太短了,其中一些很难进入孵化位置。然而,它们的潜伏期很短。最小的品种只需要15天左右,所以你会比一般品种有更多的机会生产出优质的鸟类。
Serama Living Conditions
Serama不耐寒,如果你生活在寒冷的环境中,可能需要在室内居住。有些人真的把小鸡当宠物养,给它们穿上小尿布,让它们在家里自由活动。
When outside, they’ll require a little extra care and attention. Though they do far less damage than a standard-sized bird, they are at risk for predation from cats, dogs, and anything that has a mind to catch them!
What’s The Yield?
这些鸟大概和鸽子一样大,让你了解它们的大小。公鸡的体重通常只有12到20盎司,但这种矮脚鸡的版本(显然这是可能的!)可以小到6盎司。和你想象的一样,雌性的体型更小,通常能长到9到12盎司,矮脚鸡的体型小到5盎司。我只想说,这些不是餐桌上的鸟!
Their eggs are as small as they come, no bigger than a quarter when cracked. Even though the hens are prolific layers — often producing a steady four eggs a week –you’d be hard-pressed to make a meal.
不过,我无法想象有人会把这些骄傲的、具有传奇色彩的鸟类作为食物来源。它们的主要用途是陪伴和展览。对于一个活泼、娇小的宠物来说,长寿的塞拉玛可能会在你身边昂首阔步长达10年!
Fun Facts
There are many variations and bloodlines of the Serama in its native Malaysia, but due to rampant fear over the Asian bird flu, no further individuals of this petite fowl have made it to the U.S. beyond the original 100 that survived being imported in 2000. All American Serama are descended from these birds.
根据记录,马来西亚Serama从未被发现感染禽流感。这次扑杀行动是政府对2004年禽流感恐慌的强制反应。Many Serama survived because their ownershid them in the jungleto preserve the breed!
Photos of Serama Chickens
Resources
- Serama Bantams, Serama Bantams
- Malaysian Ayam Serama Chicken: The smallest Chicken in the World, Raising Chickens
- Serama Chickens: Good Things in Small Packages, Backyard Poultry
- Serama: Is This Tiny Chicken Right for Your Flock?, The Happy Chicken Coop
- Serama, My Pet Chicken
- Serama, Omlet
- Serama, Wikipedia
- Serama Chicken Characteristics & Breed Information, Roy’s Farm
- Serama Chicken Breed – Everything You Need to Know, Domestic Animal Breeds
- Raising Serama Bantam Chickens, Living the Country Life